Benn there, done that
In the offseason, the Canucks really wanted to improve the blue line, so they went out and signed three UFAs inMyers, Jordie Benn and Oscar Fantenberg.
For most of this season, Fantenberg was a serviceable No. 7 defencemen. But when injuries on the back end started to happen, and he had a chance to play, Fantenberg made it count and has taken Benn’s spot.
Thee person who has played the most with Fantenberg is Myers. The bad news is that this pairing wasn’t working out well, which is fine because Myers has good chemistry with the other two left defencemen.
Now, both Tanev and Stecher have played with Fantenberg for roughly the same amount of time but because of how well Stecher plays with Edler. I would say Tanev makes the most sense to play with Fantenberg.
While paired up together, the puck possession numbers haven’t been pretty, but the Canucks have outscored opponents 2-1. It’s worth mentioning that they have only started in the offensive zone 16.67% of the time, too.
I do think that this could be a good pairing for the Canucks, because like Tanev, Fantenberg isn’t afraid to block shots. Through 21 games, he’s already blocked 33 and the 21 games. Another part of his game I really like is his physicality and toughness. It will be fun to see how this pairing develops once they get more time together.
These line combinations and defensive pairings have been a big improvement compared to last year, and it’s great to see that the Canucks are carrying the play for the most part. Hopefully, the rest of the season will be just as fun, and hopefully we’ll see this team reach the postseason.